Beyonce Shares Even More Private Photos of Friends and Family, Including Baby Blue Ivy

Courtesy Beyonce / iam.beyonce.com

Beyonce and Jay-Z have been notoriously hush-hush about their relationship and their private lives, refusing for many years even to acknowledge their relationship, finally getting married secretly and with next to no fanfare or media coverage.

our editor recommends

Beyonce Gives 'Stunning' Performance at U.N. Honoring Fallen Workers

Harry Belafonte on Capitalism, Media Moguls and His Disappointment With Jay-Z and Beyonce (Q&A)

Olympics 2012: 'McKayla Is Not Impressed' by NBC, Beyonce and Justin Bieber

Few photos of either of them outside of public appearances -- her in couture gowns and him in fancy designer duds -- have been seen by their fans. But Beyonce is slowly coming out of her shell. Prior to starring in a new documentary about her life and career, the Grammy-winning performer has opened up her family photo album on her Tumblr.

Her site is now chock-full of intimate snaps, such as one of her feeding a bottle to baby Blue Ivy, who wears a baby-sized concert shirt for her daddy’s worldwide tour -- Watch the Throne with Kanye West.

Other idyllic shots include Miss B laughing brightly, wearing a pink ruffled dress as she’s pushed on a garden swing by Jay-Z, who has his dog frolicking with him. Another features Beyonce playing with a hula hoop on a lawn.

Fans also get a behind-the-scenes look at Beyonce's tour and her entourage: one photo in front of her private jet and more in front of some old tires, her riding a bike through deserted streets, posing in front of an old mobile home and grabbing snacks at a food truck. 

Does this sudden inside access mean that Beyonce is seriously branding herself and getting ready to become active on social media and more accessible to her fans, like so many other performers, including Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj? 

What do you think?